by Kaylea Cross
“See, you just said the magic words right there,” Nina said, setting a rib down.
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
“You said ‘to make her happy.’ That’s a major red flag—no one should ever be expected to make someone else happy, in any kind of relationship, romantic or otherwise. That’s not fair. Everyone’s responsible for their own happiness. A partner can add or detract from that, true, but happiness is a personal choice. And it also sounds like she had major insecurity issues.”
Tate blinked at her, taken aback by her accurate and concise summation. “Yeah. Yeah, to all of that.”
Nina nodded. “I know.”
He laughed. “Is that why you have such a rosy outlook on life? You just decide to be happy, and go with it?”
Something shifted in her eyes, a brief shadow, then she gave him a lopsided smile that made something catch in his chest. “Pretty much.” She shrugged. “I know that probably seems weird to you. And I know you think I have unrealistic views about love and relationships, but I come by them honestly.”
“Because of your family.”
She inclined her head and helped herself to a bite of barbecued chicken. “I also come from a stable home with two parents and have never served in the military or been to war. Given all that, your parents splitting up and your past experience with your last relationship, it’s not surprising that you have a more cynical view of the world.”
“I’m not that bad,” he protested. Nina softened that part of him whenever she was around. He was powerless to stop it.
She smiled, her eyes twinkling. “No, you’re not. And any man who would suggest a date to watch the sun rise has a romantic soul.”
He made a face. “I dunno about that.”
“I do. Because forms of romance are just like the universe—infinite. Anything can be qualified as romantic if the sentiment is there. It doesn’t have to be words or gifts. It can be as simple as a look. A touch. Filling up your partner’s gas tank when their vehicle is low on fuel. A text to say you’re thinking of them. As long as it’s genuine and comes from the heart, then it’s romantic.”
He gave her a skeptical look, wondering if she was being totally honest with him. “Really?”
“Really. Now tell me all about this business idea you and your friends are considering.”
Glad for the change in subject, Tate outlined the idea, the possible services they could offer. “Anything from private civilian groups to private security and military contractors. We can tailor everything to meet each specific group’s needs.” He was getting excited just thinking about it.
“What role would you take on?”
“Bit of everything, but mostly operations management. Mase is our numbers guy, so he’d handle the books and finances. Brax can instruct on a million different things that might be of interest to clients, and fill in the gaps.”
“And how does he fit into your group?”
“He served with Mason in Canada’s most elite unit.”
“How did you meet him?”
“He and Mase’s unit was doing mountain training near my hometown of Kelowna. I happened to be in town visiting Tala, Rylee and my dad, so we all got together, and Mase brought Brax with him.”
“Where is he now?”
“Overseas somewhere. He’s still active duty, but his contract finishes next year. We’re trying to convince him to come down here and join us instead of re-upping. He’s a sniper.”
“Wow, you guys sure have impressive CVs.”
“Our backgrounds give us a lot of breadth in terms of what we can offer. We’re all SOF-qualified, and we all have combat experience. Weapons, tactics, medical training, rappelling, water ops, mountaineering, climbing. Personal protection, CQB—”
“What?”
“Sorry, close quarter battle. And we’re also trained in hostage rescue.”
Her eyes widened. “That’s incredible. Makes me want to sign up for a week at this place.”
Tate laughed. God, she was cute. And sweet. And so damn sexy. For damn sure he’d never met anyone as brilliant as her. Her mind never stopped.
He could probably spend years with her and learn something new from her every day. He also liked getting glimpses of her view of the world, so different from his own. “I’d train you for free.”
She beamed at him. “You would?”
“Yes, ma’am. What do you wanna learn?”
Her eyes sparkled with excitement and desire. “Everything.”
“Just say when, sunshine,” he murmured, the word coming out without any effort or forethought.
She stopped and raised her eyebrows. “Sunshine?”
He shrugged. “That’s what you’re like. Bright, sunny. Warm.”
She shook her head, a bemused smile on her face. “Lord, Tate, the things you say when I least expect them. And in answer to your earlier thought… Tonight. We’ll start teaching each other tonight.”
His blood heated, that hum of arousal buzzing through him at the thought of all the things they could teach each other in the hours ahead.
As they finished eating, Tate couldn’t stop thinking about what she’d said before.
Hell. Maybe he was a romantic deep down after all.
Chapter Twelve
“Are you about done there?” Tate asked dryly from the bed of his truck as he watched Nina.
It had been ten minutes and she still wasn’t done setting up. They’d gone for a walk after dinner, wandering around downtown and along the creek for a bit until twilight before returning to his truck for the drive up here.
She stood ten yards away with her back to him in the middle of the small clearing he’d parked in, fiddling with her telescope. She’d declared the moonless night perfect for stargazing. “Just about.”
It wasn’t a hardship to watch her, because the view was incredible. That stretchy dress hugged her hips and ass in a way that was impossible to look away from. He wanted to trace every curve with his hands, mouth and tongue. Find every sweet spot on her body and linger there. Get her so worked up that she trembled and clung to him, desperate to come.
She looked at him over her shoulder, an excited smile on her face that had nothing to do with sex. “Okay, we’re ready. Come here.”
He climbed out of the bed and walked up behind her, closing his hands around her hips. He’d wanted to do it since that first night at Avery’s place, when she’d walked down the stairs in front of him. She felt incredible. “What are we looking at?” he murmured, nuzzling the side of her neck, inhaling her addictive scent.
She let out a tiny gasp and reached back to slide a hand into the back of his hair. “I forget. Do that again.”
He ran his nose down her neck, following the way it curved into her shoulder, and paused at the edge of the neckline of her dress to give her a slow, damp kiss there. “That?”
“Oh, yeah,” she breathed, and tipped her head to the side, her hand tightening in his hair.
Tate moved in closer, pressing his swelling cock to the soft curve of her ass and wrapped his arms around her waist as he reversed the path of his lips and lingered on the sensitive spot at the side of her neck that made her shiver and squirm.
He loved how responsive and genuine she was. Couldn’t wait to lay her down in the bed of his pickup and explore her the way he’d been fantasizing about this past week. But first…
“What did you want to show me?” he whispered.
“Hmmm?”
He laughed softly and shifted his grip, bringing her flush against him. “You were going to show me something about the stars. And after you’re done, I’m going to take you to them.”
“Oh, God.” She let out a breathless laugh and quickly turned them so that he was standing behind the telescope. “You’ll have to adjust the focus slightly for your eyes using this wheel here.” She set his hand on the right one. “But go ahead. Take a look.”
Tate paused to wrap an arm around her waist and lean in for a slow, se
ductive kiss. When she moaned and melted against him, he sucked on her lower lip, stroked his tongue across it and lifted his head. Her eyes were hazy, her cheeks flushed.
Biting back a groan, he released her and bent to put his eye to the eyepiece.
At first all he saw was a blur of light. He tightened the focus, slowly bringing the patch of sky she’d selected into sharp relief.
Stars. Incredible numbers of them, packed into that one field of view. And different colors in the background. Purples and blues melting into the black. “It’s beautiful. But what am I looking at?”
“The Milky Way. But ignore all of that and focus on the bright dot near the center.”
He did. And then suddenly the dot became something more. A round object with rings. He grabbed the telescope, pressed his eye harder against the eyepiece, suddenly captivated. The image was unmistakable. “Wait. Is that Saturn?”
Her soft laugh caressed him. “Yes.”
“Damn, that’s unreal. I can see the rings,” he said in amazement.
“I know, right? How awesome is it?”
He could literally see individual rings, and tiny dark lines between them. “I can’t believe it.”
Nina draped herself along his back and slid her arms around him, her palms resting on his pecs. “I knew you’d appreciate it.” She sounded so happy.
“I do.” He stared for a few more moments, awed. Then he straightened and turned to face her, his arms going around her hips. “But I like looking at you even more.”
Her smile tugged at his heart. “If I beat Saturn, I’ll take that as a compliment.” She glanced past him at the truck, and her face filled with surprise. “Oh! Did you do all that while I was setting up?”
“Yep.” He caught her hand, tugged her toward his truck. He’d spread out rolls of foam in the bed and covered them with open sleeping bags and a few pillows, with a couple of quilts standing by for them to cuddle up under.
“Up you go.” He lifted her, smiled at the startled little yelp she made, and climbed in after her.
She crawled up toward the front of the bed, giving him an awesome view of her round ass before stretching out on her back with her head resting on one of the pillows. Her delighted smile made his earlier efforts worth it.
When he stretched out beside her, she turned toward him and ran a finger down the side of his face. “Thank you for doing this.”
“It’s my pleasure.” And hopefully hers too, soon.
Tate reached for her, drawing her close and tucking her head into the curve of his shoulder. He held her, stroked a hand through her hair as they gazed up at the stars, enjoying himself even more than he’d thought he would.
“Isn’t it spectacular?” she murmured.
“Yeah, it is.” Only he’d never appreciated it fully until now. And he loved the feel of her snuggled up next to him like this, all warm and soft and trusting.
After a few minutes she lifted her head to look at him. “I feel so safe with you,” she said quietly. “Safe, but also really damn aroused.”
He grinned at her honesty. Shifting to lay facing her, he curved his hand around the rise of her hip, squeezing gently. “That’s good to hear.” He leaned in to claim that tempting mouth.
She met the kiss eagerly, threading both hands into his hair and pressing flush against him, her softness melding with the harder planes of his body. Tate angled his head and plunged his tongue inside to taste her, drinking in the soft sound of need she made. He stroked her tongue, ran his hands over her, mapping every curve and hollow.
Nina wiggled closer, her fingers digging into his back as she wrapped her leg around his.
Tate rolled her onto her back and stretched out on top of her, swallowing a groan at the way she arched beneath him, his cock nestled against her mound. He cradled her head in his hands and rocked into her, battling the frantic need she ignited in him.
The ache between his legs was getting worse by the second, but he didn’t want a fast fuck with her. He wanted to slow down, savor this, make her crave him with every cell in her being.
He kissed his way down her jaw to her neck, lifted up on his elbows as he blazed a path down to where the neckline dipped just above her cleavage. Nina reached down and impatiently tugged the fabric down, revealing the swells of her breasts cradled by the creamy pink lace bra. He nuzzled the valley between them, smiled at the way she grabbed his head to hold her to him.
Don’t worry, sunshine, I’m gonna give you as much as you want.
The significance of giving her a pet name didn’t escape him. But it felt right, so he wasn’t going to question it, cynical bastard or not.
His tongue darted out to flick against the skin at the edge of one lace cup. He could see the hard point of her nipple pressing against the fabric.
“Tate,” she whispered, lifting toward his mouth. Chasing it.
He tugged the lace cup down, a low sound coming from his gut at the sight of her bare breast and tight nipple awaiting him. He flicked his tongue across it, reveled in her sharp intake of breath, then slowly sucked it into his mouth. Nina mewled softly and dropped her head back, her fingers digging into his scalp.
Tate stayed exactly where he was, sucking the sensitive bud, rubbing it with his tongue. Nina shoved the dress down more and arched to reach back and undo her bra. He pulled it off her and cupped her other breast, zeroing in on its center with the same attention as he’d just given the other.
Easing his weight off her, he ran a hand down her back to her rear, cradling her to him. She rolled her hips, rubbing against his erection until the need burned like fire up his spine.
Nina grabbed the hem of his shirt and started pulling upward. Tate lifted enough for her to get it to his chin, then reluctantly released her nipple to yank it over his head. As soon as it was gone, he went right back to what he’d been doing, his fingers gliding up and down the backs of her thighs now while her hands roved over his back, chest and shoulders.
“Wait,” she whispered, pushing at his shoulder. “Let me—” She ducked down and rubbed her face against his bare chest, hands curling around his shoulders, squeezing his muscles. “Oh, Tate, look at you,” she breathed, her mouth driving him crazy as she kissed and licked at his suddenly over-sensitized skin.
He’d thought he was turned on before, but the way she looked at him, the hungry way her mouth and hands moved over his body, her tongue darting out to tease him as she kissed her way down his stomach toward his waistband—made every one of his muscles tighten and his heart pound.
When her hand cupped him through his jeans, he sucked in a ragged breath and caught her wrist, allowing himself just one stroke against her palm as he rolled his hips. Then he pulled her hand away and settled it back on his head as he bent to her breasts and eased his hand under the hem of her dress.
Nina caught her breath and stilled as his hand skimmed up her bare thigh, pausing just at the edge of the lace covering her mound. With a sweet, soft moan, she parted her legs.
Tate rewarded her by brushing his fingers against the center of the lace.
She twisted against him, her hands locking in his hair. “Tate…”
“Shhh.” He wanted to make this memorable. So she’d never forget him or this night together. He took his time, teasing and stroking her through the lace, switching his mouth to her other breast.
A long, liquid moan bubbled out of her, the muscles in her thighs quivering.
Finally, he tugged her panties down and eased his fingers into the soft, wet heat that awaited him. They both moaned. Tate caressed her slick folds, gliding up to tenderly brush against the hard bud at the top of her sex.
“Oh God, don’t stop,” she begged, her voice a breathless, desperate plea, her body rigid with need.
“I won’t,” he promised, circling her clit, paying attention to every cue she gave him about location and pressure.
She quivered in his grasp, her breathing ragged, tiny whimpers spilling from her lips. Tate drank it all in, beg
an kissing his way down her body, and eased one finger inside her just as his mouth settled over her core.
Nina moaned and rocked into his tongue, her tight grip on his hair only pushing his arousal higher. Every sound made the need burn hotter.
She was close now, he could feel it in the way she squeezed his finger and hear it in her ragged breathing. He licked her softly, closed his lips around the fragile bud to suck on it as he rubbed that secret spot inside her. She called out his name and shuddered as she came, holding him close.
Tate’s heart slammed against his ribs as she relaxed her grip on him and collapsed back with a broken moan. Gently easing his hand from between her legs, he kissed the top of her mound, then her lower belly, hard as a rock in his jeans but reluctant to stop pleasuring her.
“Tate. Come here,” she whispered, tugging his shoulder.
He braced his weight on one hand to lift up and meet her kiss. When she pressed on his chest he didn’t resist, immediately lying on his back for her. She crawled on top of him, that lithe, sexy body blanketing him.
He moaned into her mouth when she rocked against his erection, shuddered when she sucked at his tongue, knowing she was tasting herself.
Wrapping his hands in her hair, he watched, spellbound, as she rubbed her cheek on his chest, over the ridges of his tensed abs. Her nimble fingers undid the top of his fly, and he held his breath as she tugged the denim down, then his underwear. The rigid length of his cock sprang free into her grip, and the feel of her hand wrapped around him sent shards of pleasure splintering through him.
With a soft, sexy hum, she stroked him, her tongue busy licking at his abs, torturously close to where he was dying for it. His heart thudded out of control, the breath halting in his throat when those soft, full lips closed around the head of his cock.
Fuck, oh, fuck…
He gripped handfuls of her hair, tried to keep his eyes open because he didn’t want to miss a single second, but then she took him deep and he was lost. His eyes slammed shut, the pleasure so intense he couldn’t breathe. She was so giving. Making him feel things he wasn’t sure he was ready for.
